Despite my shocking confession, Salem looked over the papers without giving me a glance.

But I am definitely listening.

In fact, Salem’s eyebrows twitched for a moment after hearing my words.

Salem, who had been looking at the documents for a long time, spoke as if spitting out.

“What do I mean by telling me that?”

“Because you are Oz’s biological father. I wouldn’t say no.”

“Yes, there is nothing to deny.”

I thought it was something that should be revealed to someone.

Living with this fact alone is harder than I imagined.

It could have been Arrieta, or it could have been Eleanor.

Even so, the first thing I confessed about myself was.

It must be none other than the guy’s family. I thought so.

“I share a lot with Oz, but I am a different person compared to the Oz you used to know.”

That’s why I was able to face Salem like this. If it was the original Oz, it would never have happened.

He was stubborn and would never back down. I probably wouldn’t have even wanted to meet him.

“Hmm… … .”

Shall we dismiss it as crazy bullshit?

Or should I penetrate the meaning of my words with my unique insight?

If so, what should I do?

Will you try to get rid of me who has taken over my son’s body? Or will he treat Oz as a separate person and build a completely different relationship?

So Salem put down the papers he was holding and spoke to me.

“It must be lunchtime soon.”

“… … Yes?”

“Have you eaten?”

“Oh, no.”

“Then let’s go together. Please follow me.”

“No, so! I… … .”

Salem didn’t even pretend to hear me and got up from his seat.

No bullshit, no acknowledgment.

It’s like I’m just asking what to do.

Salem rose from his seat with such a nonchalant attitude.

“Are you not going?”

“I have no idea about rice.”

“Didn’t you say you needed this?”

Saying that, Salem shook the fruit of the World Tree in front of me.

In order to continue the negotiations about the fruit, it is said that you should join him at the dinner he recommended.

“Ah, you mean really… … .”

“Do you have anything to do? that was mine in the first place. Did you really think I would just hand this to you?”

“… … Depending on the negotiations?”

“If you think so, you should have taken the right posture. stupid guy.”

With those words, Salem left the room.

What happened is that people don’t even look back.

In the end, I was left alone in Salem’s office and had no choice but to follow him.

* * *

My stomach is bloated.

To be honest, I don’t know what’s going into my mouth.

The place Salem guided us to was, no matter how you look at it, a high-end restaurant.

He has never suffered from financial problems, but his unique atmosphere is terrible.

A large table in a large space.

The only people are me and Salem. This restaurant itself was not rented, but each room was unnecessarily spacious.

Could it be a VIP room?

It is too burdensome because the surrounding background is so different from the things I usually see.

The taste is there, but it’s not the mood to bring up words or have a conversation.

“… … .”

After repeating the process of cutting the meat and putting it into the mouth without knowing what it was, the frustrating and burdensome meal was finally over.

“Did the meal taste good?”

“I don’t even know what it tastes like. Places like this are just uncomfortable.”

“Right.”

Salem nodded as if he knew that.

Did you bring it knowingly?

His personality is strangely twisted.

“Oz in the past said exactly the same thing as you. See, you said you weren’t Oz, but you’re the same person after all.”

“… … Do you think it was a place to check that out?”

just that much? Anyway, that method is too lax. There’s no way you can know that.

“As I said before, I share a lot with Oz. So you may have similar feelings about it. No, maybe it’s just a resemblance.”

No, not really sharing.

I am being eroded by Oz. I am getting closer and closer to him.

“But the initiative is always with me. Even if memories, habits, and tastes are Oz’s, ‘me’ is someone else.”

Yes, the most important thing is this.

Just because I forgot my memories and accepted the habits and memories of Oz didn’t mean that I would completely disappear as a person.

Even now, with the [Erosion degree] reaching 80%, I can tell Oz and myself apart.

If you simply think about the numbers, isn’t it the point where there’s nothing strange about thinking of the original me as a foreign substance?

Even so, the awareness that I am now is stronger. I don’t know when it’s 100%, but I can be sure.

Even though I forgot everything including my name and memories and left only simple common sense, the initiative was always with me.

“I come from a world different from this one. I hope you think of me as a soul from another world.”

“You mean Earth?”

“What… … .”

No matter how much I was, I couldn’t help but be at a loss for words at Salem’s calm words.

What did he say now?

In an instant, all sorts of assumptions began to flow through my head.

How could Salem remain calm despite such a shocking fact?

“I bet you know that!”

Could it be that it was Salem, not Oz, who possessed me?

Why have you never thought of that?

Salem is the greatest wizard in the history of human affairs.

“I know that your mother came from the same world. If there is a kite, is there anything else besides that place?”

But Salem snorted. The seemingly absurd statement contained more information than I thought, and it made my head dizzy.

“Oz’s mother is from the same country as me… … ?”

“Your mother, to be exact.”

Salem was adamant.

Even though I explained everything, it seems that I was going to insist on calling me Oz until the end.

It’s frustrating, but considering that he is Oz’s father, it’s not understandable.

Even though he pushed him to death, Salem’s behavior doesn’t seem to completely hate Oz.

“She was a foolish woman.”

It wasn’t particularly disrespectful.

Because Salem’s eyes were full of deep sadness and longing.

I think this is the moment that shows the most emotion today.

“She was a woman who thoughtlessly used strange powers and objects that she had never seen before. That’s why she is also called the wicked witch of the forest.”

“If it’s something strange… … ?”

“It had no mana, but it was a tool that did many things, such as lighting, recording, and even listening to music.”

“… … .”

Salem smiled as if he were remembering what had happened.

The bizarre thing he was talking about is probably a smartphone.

It seems certain that Oz’s mother was from the same country as me. However, unlike me, it seems that he is not possessed, but a person who has crossed the world itself.

And maybe… … .

“She was the owner of the key. It is also from another world.”

“yes. She was a world traveler.”

[Baekryong] Jinseon said that the key symbolizes the power that corresponds to the foundation of this world.

That’s why Janus, that is, the mysterious power possessed by [agent behind the scenes], was said to be impossible.

That was natural. It was not the power of this world in the first place.

Of course, I don’t know if there was such a power on Earth… … .

At least one question has been answered.

Still, I’m glad Salem released more information than I thought. Because you seem to have a conversation.

Then, things like me, my relationship with Oz, and the fruit of the world tree will be resolved… … .

“Just wake up.”

“Yes?”

As I was sorting out what I was going to say in my head, Salem suddenly stood up and declared.

It is not a recommendation. Salem got up and left on his own, not paying attention to my doctor, just like when he said he was going to eat.

“Now, wait a minute. We’re not done talking yet! Besides, we haven’t even talked about the fruit of the World Tree yet!”

“I gave it a chance. We had plenty of time. But isn’t it because of your indecisiveness that you couldn’t tell?”

“Didn’t the story come from your side? I can’t even talk about it until I hang up… … .”

“Why did you shut up while eating? Even the people around you backed down, but didn’t you remain silent?”

If consideration was what created that damned atmosphere right now, Salem would have been a vicious boss with a 100% chance.

no, that’s not it… … .

“I’m busy.”

“Did the busy human go all the way to the Empire and enjoy tea time?”

“Distance is not a problem for me. Or do you have something tempting enough to motivate me?”

“Kuh… … .”

Salem is right.

Distance is not a problem for him. He is as well versed in space magic as Tia.

If you want, you can fly to the Federation right now.

In the end, the important thing is not the distance, but the time and weight of work.

then there is nothing you can do Whatever I say, no matter how well you look at it, it’s a conversation between father and son.

Asking the king for that is absurd, I think.

“If you hadn’t come to destroy my puppet in the first place, I wouldn’t have thought to talk about it.”

“Is that also a consideration?”

Not only did he act like he was testing people, he even summoned them.

However, it is condescending that he listened to the story while he was busy.

Where did you see this brazenness?

I think I saw it in the mirror that I was satisfied with looking at it every morning.

“If you want to continue talking about love, come tomorrow at this time.”

This doesn’t work. There is no factor that can win with words. No regrets for Salem, but a lot for me.

The information that I am not Oz would have been a pretty big bait, but Salem doesn’t even care.

“… … You mean the tower?”

Finally, I curled up and asked. I’m sorry It was surprising that he responded to the conversation in the first place.

“What time is it now?”

“uh… … . Lunch hour?”

“Then we should see it at a restaurant. Where did you think we would see it? That time is the only time I can allow you, so know that.”

This kid is terribly annoying.

The arrogance oozing out from the way he speaks resembles someone.

Did Tia feel this way when she was looking at me? Still, Tia can at least punish me, but I can’t.

If I tried at this point, it would almost certainly be destroyed like Janus.

“I have to go.”

At the same time as he said that, Salem disappeared in an instant.

[Teleport].

Performs ritual magic in seconds, which a high-ranking wizard could draw by investing time. also a monster

No, rather than that, are you leaving it like this?

“Then the calculation… … ?”

* * *

Fortunately, I didn’t have to use poison.

When I asked the staff, they said it was a frequent occurrence. Rather, it was as if he was asking why he was asking such a thing now.

Oz and Salem must have been to this restaurant often.

That would have been before they broke up, though.

“Was it a place like this… … ?”

The clear sky I looked at immediately after exiting the restaurant looked peaceful.

At that time, when I ran away, all the eyes on me felt like daggers, and all the structures around me felt like time bombs.

But when it comes to peace… … .

“… … Do real wizards like heights?”

I just thought the whole building was tall.

It’s a building, to be honest.

Isn’t it wonderful that this is the city of wizards?

The land is not small, but did it have a large population?

Seeing that I am thinking of all sorts of things, it seems that my condition has stabilized.

“… … no.”

The eyes of the people around you are just looking at celebrities, and buildings are just buildings.

However, among those gazes, there were some things that could not be overlooked.

There are guys who are looking at me with clear intentions, not envy or surprise.

“You don’t seem to get tired of it.”

I expected… … . As soon as I get out of the restaurant, it seems that there are guys scattered around who will bite me.

This is astonishing.

Shortly after coming over through the [Teleport Gate], he was kidnapped by Salem and the only place he moved to after that was the restaurant.

Still, they flocked.

If you think about the time, it would have been less than two hours, but the action is fast.

The previous chase realizes that Salem has been considerably drained.

I wouldn’t have thought of killing either.

“Well then, what shall we do… … .”

The other side has already captured me.

Probably not from the Salem side, but from the other side.

He’s a guy who doesn’t get tired of eating even with Salem. Do you think it’s still worth trying since you’ve had a track record of throwing it away?

“… … .”

skill is considerable

Most of them are probably high level wizards.

One, two, three, four… … .

“thirty… … ? Anyway, is this too much?”

total thirty. It was the number of wizards who were gradually narrowing the encirclement.

This is a group, not an individual.

Is there an assassination squad somewhere? Or would it be an army of wizards that someone is raising separately?

“Would you like to walk a little… … .”

It’s not a good idea to face enemies in this state. It would be best to avoid fighting in the first place.

I don’t have the confidence to sort out the total number of thirty by myself.

That’s how I started to move around the siege little by little.

Sometimes in an alleyway, sometimes across a highway, sometimes going back the way you came.

Running, walking, and moving between buildings through magic.

It wanders around and stirs the siege net so that it can’t get out of the way.

Anyway, this one is one and the other is many.

There can be no chain of command.

Seeing as he doesn’t approach alone, he’s quite cautious… … .

In doing so, it creates a hole in the siege net.

Every time I take a sudden action, I hesitate a little bit.

“Okay, that’s enough… … .”

The moment I thought I had made a hole in the siege and escaped like that.

“I finally met you.”

As I entered the alley, I bumped into someone.

Entering an alley means that it is a narrow place.

That’s why I moved as carefully as possible and specified the perfect escape route.

But there was someone.

I could neither anticipate its movement nor discover its existence. The opponent is a skill that I couldn’t predict.

And if you were skilled enough to avoid my [Contemplation], there were only characters with an SSR rating.

Yes, the opponent at least… … .

“Are you an elder-level wizard?”

A person who can beat me even 1:1.

“It is still lacking in body, but it is. It’s only been 7 years since I reached the senior level, so I’m sorry.”

7 years.

Enough time to become a monster.

The escape route that could have broken through the siege quickly turned into a dead end.

As long as the man in front of me was blocking me, there was no way I could escape from such a narrow place.

The siege nets that were chasing me began to gather toward the alley all at once.

“therefore? What are you guys doing, did you follow me?”

Suddenly, Justitia comes to ＜Skientia＞ and reminds me of the group she was trying to inform me about.

-Actually, I saw a couple of strange groups while traveling. I was debating whether or not to tell you, but when Schientia asked for help, I asked for help.

“First of all, it would be right to say hello. Nice to meet you, heir to the King of Darkness. We call the remaining embers of the flames that have been extinguished, ‘remnants of fire’.”

Maybe around 30?

The man had gray hair close to black and eyes like embers waiting to burn.

And most of all, what stands out is the pattern of embers that everyone around me has in common on their robes.

-Do you remember the name ‘Prudence Roa’?

Yeah, they thought it was all off before… … .

“These are children who learned magic and the world under Miss Prudence, who was called the ‘slum wizard’ in the past.”

It is the ember of this incomplete combustion.